Now to put the bush capital back together

With the property toll from the Canberra bushfires rising daily, the task of rebuilding the bush capital is becoming apparent.

More than 500 houses were lost, together with public infrastructure, placing a huge demand on the city's already busy building industry.

ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope has swiftly established the Reconstruction Taskforce to advise the government on the design of houses, streets and suburbs, and where to place pine plantations and infrastructure.

Anglican Bishop George Browning will head the taskforce. Other members will be drawn from the building sector, business groups, education institutions and social and environmental organisations.

With the fire danger subsiding, building industry groups, suppliers, architects, and government officials also met to review the supplies and skills available.");document.write("

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The Housing Industry Association's ACT regional director, Michael Pyers, said tradespeople from interstate could be needed. But it was too early to estimate how many or when.

ACT Master Builders Association executive director David Dawes said most Canberrans who lost their homes should be in new houses in six to 12 months.

Mr Dawes said the territory's 1400 licensed builders, including 400 active builders, should be able to cope with the demand, with a lull expected to have hit the local building industry in April because of a lack of serviced land on which to build.

"Builders that were waiting on that land will now be able to put their resources into getting these homes repaired and rebuilt," Mr Dawes said.

He agreed that tradespeople could be needed from interstate in areas of shortage such as bricklaying.

The Insurance Council of Australia warned of the risk of shoddy builders preying on people keen to have their houses back up quickly after disasters such as the Canberra fires.

"There were certainly some examples of people trying to do that after the Sydney hailstorm," said ICA corporate affairs manager Rod Frail.

"But insurers will be recommending tradesmen that it has had experience with in the past.

"(And) it's also, of course, up to the local authorities to police the situation and make sure that unlicensed builders are not operating."

Brian Combridge from Master Painters Australia (Canberra) said that with many painters booked months ahead, he expected an influx of interstate tradespeople from all trades to pick up the workload.

"That's been the pattern after the Sydney fires and certainly after the Newcastle earthquake, that any available painters from other areas flooded into town and picked up the work," he said.

Master Plumbers, Drainers and Gasfitters Association of ACT's David Williams said the territory had had a shortage of all three trades for two years.

Local plasterers' and electricians' spokesmen said they could handle the workload.